humble expectations

Spiritual resource to share: a spiritual approach to new experiences

I was surprised when clicking off my Godwords* before our trip that it started with humble expectations. But as we headed off to the airport, with our bare minimum luggage and packs, long list of contacts and addresses - humble expectations were the one thing I kept reminding myself were most important.

This wasn't a trip in which we were trying to get away from it all, nor was it a luxury trip. It was a trip designed for the four of us to have time together to explore and play off our own discoveries of what we were learning and enjoying with each other and with the people we met along the way.

Humble expectations helped me to NOT outline, and to be open to new experiences. So, if the food, accommodations, travel arrangements or weather were not what we were used to, we have already set up the framework of this trip to be ready for anything and thrive outside of our own comfort zone!

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts

Humble expectations helped to clear the deck so we could see beyond what was familiar. Drawn to what is infinite and good, we weren't disappointed!

The first week, we lived in a clean and airy beach cottage with electricity and running water, just a two minute walk to the beach. Every day, we would do something - sea kayaking, ziplining, visiting an animal rescue center, hiking up through the jungle, eating and smelling our way through with the help of a new friend whose family had lived there for decades.

Every afternoon we would take in the beach, or explore the town or just relax. Dinners were out in the bohemian town of Puerto Viejo where reggae, arabic and hip hop could be heard on the streets. Nights we were together, talking, reading, writing, falling asleep to the sound of the waves or the wind....

The last two weeks were spent up in the mountains of Costa Rica where we went to language school and volunteered in the community and took in the incredible diversity of the flora and fauna and the people.

"The earth is full of Thy riches" and I was enriched by just letting go of any outlining and letting in the beauty and the fun that was there for the taking.

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

You can't be denied the fullness of life

From Science and Health (p. 288):

Science reveals the glorious possibilities of immortal man, forever unlimited by the mortal senses.

What a sentence! I find myself inspired again and again by this simple Truth. We are, right now, in the midst of glorious possibilities and there is no force on earth that can take that away.

A good deal of our time here may be spent struggling or trying to overcome adverse situations. And yet, what is on the other side of those situations is a wider unlimited view of life that shows our dominion over challenges, our strength and unlimited joy.

Let me illustrate.

Sarah and I were equally matched whitewater kayaking buddies. One trip was particularly memorable. We were the rookies of a group of paddlers that were going to do a beautiful whitewater stretch on the Montreal River (Midwest USA). In the first big rapid we were going to do, there was calm water (an eddy) above and below a large drop, with some manuevering that needed to be done between several rock outcroppings. Our friends set up safety ropes and the more experienced ones went down first. Sarah was going to go before me, I would watch her from the shore and cheer her on, then I would go, she would cheer me on, etc.

Well, she left and got into the eddy above the drop. And there she stayed. And stayed. I knew something was wrong. Nervously, I got into my boat and joined her. She was scared. I was scared. This was the biggest rapid we had ever done. After a while I said, "OK Sarah, I just have to share some God stuff with you, OK? It's this. Perfect Love casts out all fear. We don't have to be afraid. We can absolutely LOVE what we are doing and we will be fine." Simple. That was it. We both took turns going down the rapids, nailing the currents just right, got the right angle in the drop and turned into the eddy below. Our friends all cheered. We were ecstatic!

Not only was it thrilling to conquer our fear, but to be immersed in the powerful currents, carving out our boats alongside the rapids was another dimension of focus, joy and harmonizing with the power of nature. We felt that unlimited nature of God.

When we are in our own eddy, so to speak, in that calm spot before a challenge, we can take that time to know that God is Love and we are immersed in God's love. This perfect Love - helps to melt away personal agendas, doubts, envy, or self -deprecation. We are free to see the glorious possibilities God has for us.

In healing, the role of prayer can help inspire us to the point that we are willing to accept our perfection, our light, our genius. God certainly does, and we are made in His image and likeness. So what is holding us back? Challenges in whatever form, do fall away, as they have no sound basis, whereas peace, health, joy, etc. have divine authority for their eternal and constantly creative expression.

We can't be denied the fullness of life. It is there. And fear cannot separate us from the glorious possibilities that God has planned for us.

gloriously yours,

Kim


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Secure in a storm

One thing I know for sure ( among other things!) is that God is with us in every circumstance, guarding, guiding and protecting.

I have had many situations that bear this out including this one. Once when I was kayaking down the Ocoee, a whitewater river in Tennessee, my boat tipped over right before a major rapid. I got sucked out of my boat and under a large undercut rock and was held there by the powerful currents. I remember thinking that I had a choice to panic or pray. I prayed. It was a quick and pleading "Father!" I felt calm. I opened my eyes, reached out toward the sunlight I could see upstream of the rock and I was out.

Concerned friends who had seen the incident and were waiting for me said I was under for a long time, but all I remember is my choice, my prayer and getting swept to safety.

So the thing I know for sure is that wherever we are in a storm, a car or at the movies, God is right there with us. We can be safe in a storm. We can know our loved ones are held in God's care.

For more incidences of God's protecting power and other helpful articles dealing with praying about Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, please visit spirituality.com. These prayers and mine are joining in with thousands around the world that affirm that God is able to still the waves and calm the storm.

Peace, safety and love to you all,
k

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